The list of illnesses caused by tobacco use is long and contains many of the most common causes of death, including heart disease, stroke, lung disease, many forms of cancer, and vascular diseases.
Cigarette use alone, results in an estimated 430,000 deaths each year in the U.S., including 28,600 deaths in Florida. Secondhand smoke causes 50,000 deaths each year among adult non-smokers in the United States with 2,520 of those deaths among Floridians.
Policy Areas
Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing
The goal of smoke-free multi-unit housing is to eliminate Floridians’ exposure to secondhand and thirdhand smoke and electronic vapor aerosol, focusing on apartment complexes and condominiums.
Point of Sale (POS)
The goal of POS is to educate people on the benefits of eliminating menthol from all tobacco products and to educate them on how marketing/advertising can influence people to purchase and utilize tobacco products.
Tobacco Free Public Spaces
The goal of tobacco-free public spaces is to educate counties and municipalities about the importance of regulating smoking in their Parks/Beaches.
K-12
To educate decision-makers (elected school district staff) on the importance of adopting tobacco control model policies into public school policies and assisting with strengthening current tobacco control model policies.
Tobacco Free Collier Partnership
The Tobacco Free Collier Partnership is comprised of individuals and agencies representing many different sectors of the community including hospitals, nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, medical clinics, educational institutions and community leadership groups committed to establishing a Tobacco-Free Collier County.
At no cost, Tobacco Free Collier Offers:
- Help for local businesses to adopt tobacco-free workplaces policies
- Assistance for local businesses that want to provide tobacco cessation benefits to their employees
- Assistance and tools for property managers and condominium owners who want to offer “smoke-free” as an amenity
- Free presentations on a variety of additional tobacco control initiatives, particularly Big Tobacco‘s manipulative marketing tactics towards children
Mission
To develop and promote policies which reduce the use and effects of tobacco in Collier County.
Goals
- Prevent youth and young adults from starting to use tobacco products
- Protect collier county citizens from involuntary exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke
- Provide support to local tobacco consumers who want to quit
Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT)
Students Working Against Tobacco is a student-led organization that aims to fight back against the tobacco industry and raise awareness for the dangerous messages and marketing practices at play. SWAT members have the unique opportunity to influence local policy change while developing important leadership skills along the way
Mobilizing Youth
Tobacco use is primarily established during adolescence, which is when the brain is developing most. By participating in SWAT, students can gain volunteer hours and valuable experience participating in outreach initiatives, tobacco counter-marketing campaigns, policy advocacy, and more.
